


Something Unexpected

by canonmerlinisatwink



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Comic Book Store, M/M, Modern AU, geeky!Merlin, jock!arthur, workmates!au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-20
Updated: 2015-09-20
Packaged: 2018-04-22 13:39:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4837289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/canonmerlinisatwink/pseuds/canonmerlinisatwink
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Having a tall, fit, very <i>male</i> co-worker in a part time job selling comic books has never even entered Merlin’s thoughts. His daydreams, maybe, and when he feels in the mood enough to entertain rather porn-ish fantasies of being bent over a stack of rare releases by an unnamed blond Adonis with a nice arse (which looks very much like said co-worker, now that he thinks about it), but neverin his actual, <i>rational</i> plane of thought. It’s not the sort of thing you’d go around thinking would happen, since blokes like Arthur never actually even come near a comic book shop in the first place.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Something Unexpected

**Author's Note:**

> something i wrote forever ago as some sort of a writing sample, but with Merthur in mind. so ya, i'm just gonna post it here as a merthur fic lmao

Having a tall, fit, very  _male_ co-worker in a part time job selling comic books has never even entered Merlin’s thoughts. His daydreams, maybe, and when he feels in the mood enough to entertain rather porn-ish fantasies of being bent over a stack of rare releases by an unnamed blond Adonis with a nice arse (which looks very much like said co-worker, now that he thinks about it), but neverin his actual,  _rational_ plane of thought. It’s not the sort of thing you’d go around thinking would happen, since blokes like Arthur never actually even come near a comic book shop in the first place.

 

The man had walked into the shop one blindingly dull August afternoon, sticking out like a sore thumb amidst the stacks and stacks of new releases and nervously looking about the place like a cat in a roomful of rocking chairs.

 

Gwen, the other store clerk, had raised an eyebrow and aimed a questioning glance at Merlin, which he’d responded to with a confused shrug. She’d then shaken her head and ambled over to ask the customer if she could help him around the place.

 

The bloke had stumbled around his words, looking quite panicked at the full force of Gwen’s sunny smile and mumbled something about the ‘Help Wanted’ sign plastered at the shop’s front door. Gwen’s eyebrows had disappeared into her curly hair, and she’d sent another look at Merlin’s direction before telling the man to wait while she gets the store owner, Gaius, from the back room.

 

Merlin had been left with the unenviable task of babysitting the tall, blond man clad in a pair of jogging shorts and a tight white t-shirt, looking for all the world like a pro-football player rather than a potential hire for side-alley comic book shops like the one they were in at the moment. The bloke had glanced around haplessly, before his eyes rested on where Merlin had been watching warily over the counter, trying not to seem too interested in ogling the way the man’s muscles seemed to press against the thin material of his shirt.

 

He’d introduced himself as Arthur, looking quite shy as he said his name, smiled a little, and ran a hand through his blond locks. Gaping at the boy-next-door act (because it was really bloody working for him), Merlin had barely managed to get his own name out before the door to the back office opened and Gaius walked into the store proper. The owner had barely batted an eyelash at Arthur’s rather striking appearance and asked for some sort of identification, which he’d skimmed over before handing it back and asking the man if he’d like to start Monday.

 

Merlin had sputtered at that, and Gwen grinned from behind Gaius like she’d been watching a rather interesting show, while Gaius just huffed and told them that with all his current employees being lazy sods with their shifts, the shop needs all the help it can get.

 

Arthur had accepted the offer graciously, smiling at the three of them like the most polite, attractive young man in the history of ever, and Merlin had the horrible, _horrible_ realisation that he’s completely and utterly smitten.

 

A week later and Merlin still keeps expecting Arthur to crack, to hand Gaius his notice and say that he didn’t actually want to work here in the first place, or maybe even to just start doing something _expected_ like hit on Gwen (like every other bloke that has entered the shop in Merlin’s history of employment), but Arthur never does. He just stands in the shop looking more friendly and approachable than Gwen and Merlin on their best days combined, and keeps looking over to the counter and giving Merlin a truly wonderful, bone-melting grin that has him wanting to rush over to the employee’s bathroom and have a quick, much-needed wank every time it happens.

 

Which it does. A lot. Gaius’s been giving him these weird looks every time he rushes by his office to the bathroom, and Gwen had taken one look at the abysmal state of the tissue supply and bestowed Merlin with an utterly terrifying smirk that promised she would lord this knowledge over him for several years to come.

 

Merlin refuses to be blamed for his reactions. Arthur is very attractive and also unbelievably _nice,_ which has never been Merlin’s experience with blokes like him, ever. The man is always hovering around the counter, offering friendly conversation when Merlin looks bored enough to cry and Gwen doesn’t seem willing to break away from her own duties to provide company. Doesn’t even bat an eyelash when Merlin haltingly provides the information that he’s gay as a bloody rainbow, and has had a crush on Captain America since the tender age of eight (which intensified when Chris Evans started to play the part in the movies).

 

Arthur had instead looked quite _interested,_ glancing over at the life-sized cut-out of Captain America near a stack of July issues and back at Merlin with an unfamiliar gleam in his eyes. And before Merlin could even succumb to the relief that Arthur hadn’t displayed a single amount of homophobia following his small confession, the man’s face split into one of his trademark puppy-dog grins, all pleased and bashful like Merlin had just complimented the state of his hair that morning (which had been brilliant, not that Merlin would ever tell him that).

 

That had been a bright, flashing marquee sign on the state of Arthur’s sexuality. Merlin figures he should have known by then, but he’s never been quick on the uptake.

 

It’s a Wednesday, more than a week into Arthur’s employment, and Gaius has about five boxes of next-month’s issues delivered. Since the store is rather busy, Gaius asks for Gwen to take over the cash register and for the boys to take care of inventory and re-stocking. The task involves massive amounts of bending and lifting, which Merlin is no stranger to, having worked at Gaius’s for about several months now.

 

But seeing Arthur heft about ten kilos worth of September releases, his muscles moving and shifting under the yellow lamplight of the stock room like a certain spandex-clad superhero that had haunted Merlin’s dreams for more than a decade—that’s an entirely different matter altogether. Merlin feels a stirring in his pants, and stands stock still, entranced by the way Arthur arse flexes through his own pair of rather tight trousers which should be rendered illegal for the sake of everyone else’s sanity.

 

Arthur turns around after a couple of minutes, having successfully stocked all the merchandise boxes on top of each other like Gaius had ordered, and Merlin doesn’t have the time to cover up the drooling expression on his features. A look of shock passes across Arthur’s eyes and for a truly horrible moment Merlin thinks the man would punch him or at least tell him to piss off with the staring, but it never happens. Instead, shock is replaced by realisation, and then something that a small piece of Merlin’s brain identifies as heated and inviting.

 

“I…” Merlin begins, unsure of how to deal with such a look being directed at him.

 

“You’re staring,” Arthur says, voice low, and Merlin shakes his head defensively.

 

“I wasn’t, honest!” He tries to assure the man breathlessly, still not willing to discount Arthur’s ability to sock the living daylights out of him with just one blow. When Arthur raises an eyebrow, Merlin sighs and gives in. “Well, I was. But I wasn’t planning to do anything about it. It’s—you’re just so…” He gestures vaguely at the general direction of Arthur’s plump arse, and the corners of Arthur’s mouth twitches into something like a smirk.

 

“I’m just so what?” He asks, meeting Merlin’s eyes in a focused stare and taking a step towards where he’s standing.

 

“F—fit,” Merlin replies, gulping as their proximity grows to a close. “I—I mean, you’re… attractive. From a purely objective point of view. Gaius would probably think so as well.”

 

Arthur’s features twists in amusement. “I’m sure,” he says, and inches closer until they’re barely a foot apart, and Merlin stops himself from backing into the stockroom door like cornered prey. “But I’m not very interested in what Gaius thinks, to be honest.”

 

“You’re not?” Merlin says inanely, because Arthur’s crowding him then, giving him no chance at an escape, and Merlin doesn’t know how to deal with that kind of attention unless it involves being given a toilet swirly afterwards.

 

“I’m not,” Arthur assures him, smirk growing a bit wider. But his eyes are kind, without a hint of judgement in them, only a molten darkness that signals on what Merlin hopes is desire.

 

They stand there for another moment, just staring at each other with a mix of apprehension and barely-hidden want until Merlin can’t take it anymore and he blurts out: “You’ve been—you’ve been looking at me.”

 

The heat in Arthur’s eyes gives way to a bit of surprise. Merlin barrels on, refusing to be fazed. “Since last week. I…I wasn’t the only one staring.”

 

Arthur looks embarrassed at that, a sheepish grin creeping onto his features. “Yeah, I guess I’ve been doing that, haven’t I?”

 

“Why?” Merlin has to ask, because Arthur is…Arthur. And when a bloke looks like _that,_ he wouldn’t normally be interested in people like Merlin, who has more superhero shirts and oversized hoodies than the entire population of their town combined, and has probably gone to three dates in his whole sorry lifetime.

 

“Because,” Arthur starts, still looking utterly bashful and endearing, and Merlin has to restrain himself from snogging him right then and there, “I’ve been wanting to. I’m here because of _you,_ for Christ’s sake.”

 

“What?” The conversation’s been growing more ridiculous by the second, and Merlin can’t keep up with it. “You’re here because of _me_?”

 

“Listen,” Arthur has this pained look in his face, like he’s about to confess something supremely embarrassing. “I wasn’t—I didn’t really want to apply for a job.”

 

“I knew it!” Merlin all but shouts, because _really._ Blokes like Arthur don’t work at comic book shops. It just didn’t happen. Arthur looks surprised at his outburst, but he presses on.

 

“I’m here because—” he tries to explain again, but a loud rapping on the door breaks into their conversation.

 

“You kids done yet?” Gaius yells through the wooden partition, sounding impatient. “Lots of customers outside. I need you on the cash register, Merlin.”

 

“We’ll be right out,” Arthur calls back, and grabs Merlin’s arm before he could move.

 

“Walk home with me tonight,” he says, eyes imploring and breaking through every bit of Merlin’s defences like a hot knife through butter. “Let’s…I’d like to talk, if that’s all right with you.”

 

Merlin nods, eyes moving from Arthur’s dark blue orbs to his lips, unable to say anything in fear of jinxing the moment. There’s a muffled curse, and suddenly Arthur’s lips is pressing against his own, just a fleeting, wet warmth, but enough to get Merlin rock hard and panting as they separate. Arthur’s giving him another sheepish grin, but there’s triumph in his eyes, like he’s been wanting to do that since the first time they’d met.

 

“Later,” Arthur murmurs, voice low and promising, and gives Merlin another heated look before he slips out of the room, leaving Merlin with his head spinning madly and a raging boner in his jeans.

 

\--

 

Gwen bids them goodbye several hours later, a knowing grin plastered on her face as she turns and saunters down the street. Merlin watches her go a bit helplessly, not knowing what to do now that the prospect of spending an evening (or at least, a few minutes of it) with a very attractive man like Arthur is growing closer by the second.

 

“You all right?” Arthur says, giving him a small nudge on the shoulder and looking the exact opposite of how Merlin feels.

 

Merlin gives him a hesitant smile in return and starts walking. “I’m…I’m still not over what happened a while ago, to be honest,” he admits, and hears a chuckle issue from his side. He turns to find Arthur looking down and biting his lip, a blush tinging his cheeks.

 

“Me neither,” he says. “Listen, about that…”

 

“Yeah?” Merlin says apprehensively.

 

“I meant it. Not just the kiss. I mean—I was gonna tell you something, before Gaius interrupted.”

 

Arthur stops in his tracks, the embarrassed look not fading from his features, and Merlin waits for him to continue with bated breath. “Look—I didn’t actually go into the shop to get a job.”

 

“You said that,” Merlin says, and scuffs his trainer-clad toe against the pavement. “Don’t tell me you were actually gonna look at the comic books?”

 

“More like at the person who’s selling them,” Arthur says, almost in a single breath, and he looks up to meet Merlin’s shocked stare with a determined expression.

 

“I think Gaius’s married, and Gwen’s a lesbian, so—”

 

“It’s _you,_ you wanker. I was talking about—” Arthur stops when he realises Merlin was just taking the piss, and lets out a loud, huffing wave of laughter.

 

“You’re mental, you know that, right?” Merlin says, unable to stop the grin from spreading across his face. “Who the hell gets a job just for the sake of asking a bloke out?”

 

“I didn’t know what to do!” Arthur says defensively. “Gwen was just there, asking me things, and you _know_ how scary she can get.”

 

“Fair enough,” says Merlin, and takes a breath before he steps towards Arthur. “You know, you really didn’t have to go through any of that, though. I would’ve said yes the moment you asked.”

 

“Really? You’d say yes to a pint?”

 

“To anything, honestly. With that arse and muscle and hair and bloody _everything_ going on, you’d get me to say yes to anything,” Merlin says before he could regret it. Arthur’s eyes widen at that and then turn heated, and Merlin _loves_ how his simple words has that amount of effect on the man.

 

“God,” Arthur says after a beat, and grabs Merlin’s arm to haul him in for a surging kiss. “You should’ve told me that the moment I stepped in the shop, you bastard.”

 

\--

 

They make it to Merlin’s flat in no time, rushing up the stairs and almost stumbling through the door at their unwillingness to part from each other’s lips. Merlin only lets go the moment they reach the living room, and almost pulls a muscle trying to get his hoodie over his head.

 

“Hey, careful,” Arthur says with amusement, but his eyes are dark with desire as he helps Merlin get his clothes off as efficiently as possible. As soon as they’re both shirtless, Arthur leans down and, without preamble, takes a peaked nipple into his mouth.

 

Merlin gasps at the feeling and arches his back, his fingers tangling with Arthur’s blond locks as he feels his tongue swirl around the hardened nub. He didn’t know it could be that _sensitive,_ and he sees Arthur grin around the flesh as he hears Merlin’s noise of surprise. Merlin can feel his dick twitch at every flick of Arthur’s tongue against his nipple, and he grinds his crotch at the man’s hard, strong chest.

 

“Arthur, I—”

 

“Ssh, I got you,” says Arthur as resurfaces from where he’s been sucking on Merlin’s nipple, his lips red and wet and almost the same colour as Merlin’s peaked flesh. “You’ve done this before?” He asks, as he leans back an inch and starts working on Merlin's belt.

 

Merlin gulps and nods his head. “Yeah, I…I had a few mates.”

 

“Brilliant,” Arthur says, face breaking into a wide grin, and promptly drags Merlin’s trousers down to reveal his erection, a wet patch already forming from where the tip rests against the cloth.

 

“Holy—,” Merlin’s words are cut out by a sudden moan when Arthur leans forward and mouths at the head of his cock through his pants. Arthur flicks a tongue against the straining muscle and Merlin feels his dick twitch again, a spurt of precome drenching the thin barrier of flannel.

 

“Do that again,” he breathes out, and hurries to pull his pants down to his ankles. Arthur chuckles and does it for him, watching as his cock springs out of the cloth, hard and aching for any sort of contact.

 

“Been thinking about this ever since I saw you on your way to the shop,” says Arthur in a low, rumbling murmur as he wraps his fingers around Merlin’s erection and pulls back the foreskin to reveal his darkened cockhead. “You were so…I just wanted to go in there, drag you into the back room, and suck your brains out through your dick.”

 

“W—why didn’t you?” Merlin asks, almost not daring to believe that Arthur had seen him and _wanted_ him that very moment, the same way Merlin had felt when the man had walked into the shop and stumbled headlong into a job application with the unique, endearing way he’s always had about him. Arthur lets out a small huff of laughter and shakes his head.

 

“Well, I tried to, but I choked. Just, uh, not in the way I figured it’d happen.”

 

Merlin’s snort of laughter is cut off by the feeling of Arthur’s tongue swirling around his naked cockhead, the wet contact on his incredibly sensitive flesh almost making his knees buckle. Arthur steadies him with a strong hand on his arse, grabbing and squeezing the firm globe of flesh as he flicks his tongue against Merlin’s leaking slit. He laps at the steady stream of precome like a man dying of thirst, and Merlin’s head spins at the sight.

 

“You’re so bloody gorgeous,” he manages to let out, gripping Arthur’s hair and thrusting his cock further into his mouth. “Now stop teasing and get on with it, you sod.”

 

Arthur obliges him by wrapping his mouth around the head of his prick and moving his hand to gently squeeze around his balls. The resulting feeling sends a strong shudder through Merlin’s spine and he feels a spurt of precome leak out him in response. He tightens his hand around Arthur’s hair and tries to tug him away before he comes and ruins it, destroys the whole thing with his almost unbearable need for release.

 

“ _Can’t,_ ” he chokes out, watching with wide eyes as Arthur drags his bottom lip frustratingly over the tip of his dick and moves back, a string of saliva and precome stretching and breaking as their flesh separate and meet the cold air of the flat. “Have to get you inside me, _god.”_

“ _Fuck_ ,” Arthur agrees, his eyes almost black with harrowing need, and moves to stand. “You’ve got stuff?” He says as he undoes his belt with practiced efficiency.

 

“Bedroom,” Merlin says in a strangled voice, and almost stumbles in his haste to get to the nightstand where he keeps his lube and condoms. He grabs them and slams the drawer closed, turns around to find Arthur naked and looking like a bloody sun god as he stands at the doorway, the light from the living room framing his muscles and making a striking contrast against the darkness of Merlin’s bedroom.

 

“Merlin?” Arthur says after a moment, sounding a bit unsure at Merlin’s sudden silence. “You okay there?”

 

“ _Please,_ ” Merlin gasps, his grip tightening around the bottle of lube and threatening to break the plastic. “Your cock. In my arse. _Now.”_

“Bloody hell,” Arthur growls, and almost pounces on Merlin, pushing him down on the bed and capturing his lips into a heated kiss. “You gorgeous little thing. Don’t know how you do this to me.”

 

“Don’t know either,” Merlin responds, and sucks on Arthur’s bottom lip as he drags his crotch against the man’s straining prick. He takes a split second to remember the bottle in his hand and thrusts it towards Arthur. “Can we do it now? Please?”

 

“Needy,” Arthur teases, but Merlin can see the same overwhelming desire in his eyes as leans in for another kiss, before pushing away and uncapping the bottle of lube.

 

It’s only a few moments before Merlin can feel Arthur’s fingers teasing around his arsehole, trailing upwards to press against his swollen taint and rub there, causing him to arch and keen in pleasure. Arthur drinks in his gasps with a satisfied smile, and moves his hand to swirl around his hole again, before finally sliding one finger into the small opening.

 

“Yes,” Merlin encourages him, spreading his legs and tilting his arse up for further access. Arthur licks his lips and leans closer until his head is almost level with where he’s now two fingers in, feeling around for that small nub that causes Merlin to almost writhe around in utter need.

 

“Don’t tease,” Merlin says reproachfully, his face red with exertion as he tries to wriggle away from Arthur’s fingers, which are now massaging around his swollen prostate. “Want to come with you inside me.”

 

Arthur groans at that and leans over to suck at a peaked nipple, biting at the reddened flesh, then pulling away to start preparing his prick. Merlin hastens to rip the condom packet open and reaches down for Arthur’s hard cock.

 

He rolls the foreskin down and thumbs at the head of Arthur’s dick, watching as the man almost jumps at the sudden sensation. “You don’t know how bloody fit you are like this,” Merlin whispers against Arthur’s mouth, and slips the condom over the crown of his cock and down around the rigid shaft. “Don’t know what I did to deserve you.”

 

Arthur hums low in his throat and nibbles along his jaw. “Well, it certainly helps that you’re cute as a button in those bloody superhero shirts you like wearing so much.”

 

“Mental, that’s what you are,” Merlin says with a huff of laughter, and leans back down on the bed, reaching out a hand to slap against Arthur’s firm arse. “Now get inside me before I die of old age.”

 

Arthur bites the edge of his jaw just for that, and lubes up his prick with impressive speed. He’s pressing against Merlin’s hole now, the head of his cock almost slipping inside and making Merlin spread his thighs wider and offer his arse up in his need.

 

“So wanton,” Arthur growls out, and slips inside Merlin with one smooth thrust.

 

“Yes, oh god!” Merlin meets every single push of his hips, body shuddering in pleasure every time the head of Arthur’s cock crashes against his sensitive prostate. His cock juts out against his stomach, leaking on the flat plane of flesh and twitching relentlessly in time with Arthur’s thrusts.

 

They build up a steady rhythm, Arthur grabbing Merlin’s legs to wrap them around his waist so he can thrust deeper into the tight, wet channel of his arse, the muscles clamping around his hard cock like a vice and making him swear under his breath. Merlin can’t do anything but let go and arch his back, nipples tight and red on his chest, so inviting that Arthur has to lean over and suck on them as he pounds against Merlin’s prostate, hitting the swollen knot almost every time and making the man keen like a bitch in heat.

 

“You’re brilliant,” he says wonderingly, looking up to meet Merlin’s dazed stare, his eyes glazed over with a mixture of pleasure and amazement. “Been imagining you like this, writhing under me like an utter cockslut. Just like you’re doing now. So fucking gorgeous, you are.”

 

“Arthur _,_ ” Merlin whines, and shudders helplessly as Arthur wraps a hand around his cock and jerks in time with his pounding thrusts, the feel of his cock being stripped along with his prostate being battered by Arthur’s cockhead enough to send him toppling over the edge.

 

He spurts hard against his belly, drenching it with ropes of pearly come and clenching hard around Arthur’s rock-hard shaft. Arthur howls out at the sensation and grips Merlin’s waist with strong hands to help him through his final thrusts, the tightness around his cock pushing him into the throes of violent orgasm as well.

 

“Merlin, I’m— _fuck_ ,” Arthur barely manages to gasp out, and floods his condom with the force of his release. He slumps down on Merlin’s panting form, dead-exhausted and buggered out of his mind. But he’s got a stupid grin on his face, and he looks up to see Merlin staring down at him with the same silly, gobsmacked expression.

 

“That was…” Merlin breathes out, awestruck, and Arthur’s grin widens. He crawls up to give Merlin a lazy, post-coital snog, the two of them purring at the sensation of being separated as Arthur pulls his cock out of Merlin’s arse.

 

“Bloody amazing?” Arthur finishes for him, still not losing the smitten look on his features. Merlin recognises it for what it is, bites his lip, and looks down, shy all of a sudden.

 

“And something I’d like to do again,” he mumbles, peering up at Arthur through his lashes. “If—if you want to, that is.”

 

“You’re taking the piss, right?” Arthur says disbelievingly, and hastens to add when Merlin looks crushed, “You utter dork, of course I’d want to do it again. I actually got a job working at your stupid store just to ask you out, now stop pouting and kiss me.”

 

“It’s not a stupid store,” Merlin grumbles, but his lips are twitching, and Arthur huffs before pulling him into another, exasperated kiss.

 

“God, you’re a dork,” Arthur says, laughing a little as he pulls away to look into Merlin’s eyes. “And you’re mine now.”

 

“Yours,” Merlin agrees, unable to stop the utterly besotted grin stretching his lips widely, and settles in for a much-needed cuddle.

 

\--

 

End


End file.
